Air-brake.



W. E. MEAD.

AIR BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1911.

1,017,01 l Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

llld L F rill WILLIAM E. MEAD, 0. 5 MARSHALL, TEXAS.

AIR-Em Application filed June 21, 1911.

To all it moi concem:

Be it known that l, WmLmM E. MEAD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at .Marshall, in the county of Harrison and State 01 Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmes.

This invention relams to fluid pressure brakes in general and more particularly to improvementsin and about the cylinder that actuates the brake system when the fluid under pressure is permitted to flow therein.

The object of this invention is to provide a device which will cause the brakes to act positively on the wheels and yet have a certain amount of resilient action which will eliminate greatly the jerking action of the present systems, because it is well known that in the ordinary types of brakes used in every day life on trains and the like that the brakes act so suddenly on the wheels that they are given a somewhat chattering action which is detrimental to the brake shoe and also to the wheel.

Another object of this invention is to have the brake arranged so that it will apply the brake shoes simultaneously to the various wheels, and with an equal amount of pressure.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as it is more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example an embodiment of this invention; Figure 1 represents a view in elevation of the cylinder and brake parts embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1; F 3 is a detail of the piston and piston rod.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate this invention 1 represents a main casing of a brake cylinder which is provided in its central porhion with a number of holes 2 that are connected with the supply pipe 3 that supplies air from the pump or the like to actuate the pistons 4: of the brake cylinder, which are disposed on either side of the central portion of the casing, as is clearly shown in the The piston heads at are provided with hollow piston rods 5 that are arranged to reciprocate in stufiing boxes *6 disposed at either end of the cylinder. Bisposed with n Sp eeiflcatlon of letters Patent.

Patented Fol-o. l3, 1&2. Serial 1%. scenes.

the piston rods 5 are rods Y having springs 8 disposed at their inner and pertions and suitably secured to the piston as is clearly shown in the drawings, so that the actuation of the rods 7 will cause the pistons to move also.

Fastened to the end of the rods 7 are the levers 9 that are arranged to actuate the brake system and apply the brake shoes on the wheels, and have arranged a connecting bar 10 which suitabl pivots them and permits their action in the ordinary manner.

In operation, assuming that the pistons are in their central position, air is admitted in the ordinary manner into the supply pipe 3, and thence to the holes 2 into the cylinder. The pressure exerted on the piston heads causes them to move outwardly, but the rods 7 will not be immediately actuated thereby because their springs 8 will be compressed slightly and take up a portion of the motion until the springs'are sufliciently compressed to cause the rods 7 to move. This slight compression of the springs gives a resilient action to the brake, so that when the brake shoes are applied to the wheels in the ordinary manner their action will not be too sudden thereon.

The use of an extra cylinder e as shown and described permits a larger wearing surface tobe presented to the stuiling box parts, while not reducing the friction, will tend to reduce the heat per unit area that is developed on the sleeves, which of course increases the life of these parts. By having the rods 7 that actuate the piston, within the sleeves 5, arrangement is provided whereby any inaccuracies in the adjustment, or attachment of the levers 9 will be taken care of, because a certain amount of move ment is permitted to the rods '1 in the sleeve 5, which leeway does not effect the proper action of the brake system. c

Obviously while there is shown but one modification of the construction of this invention in the drawings, it is notidesired to limit this application to that one construction in any way, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art, as many modifications in the construction of this invention can he made without departing fi'om the principles thereof. 1

In order to provide means whereby the pistons will be iorced baclr to their normal positions, when the pressure of air is removed cm the interior of the cylinder, the springs 11 ai e provided and dis osed between the piston heads 4 and cap 0 the cylinder, as is clearly shown in the drawings.

Having thus described this invention it is claimed: l

1. In a fluid'pressure brake apparatus the combination with a cylinder-having a lurality of holes circumferentially drilled in the middle portion thereof, a plurality of pistons disposed on either side of the midle portion of said cylinder and arrangedto be actuated b the fluid pressure therein,

a plurality of s eeves disposed on said pistons for guiding the same, stufiing boxes for guiding said sleeves a plurality of springs is osed within sai sleeves and secured to sai pistons-a plurality of rods within said sleeves and attached to said springs and arranged to be actuated thereby, and a lever system pivotedto said rods for actuating the brake shoes.

2. In a fluid pressure brake apparatus the combination of a cylinder casing having a supplying air to said holes, a air of pistons" disposed on either side of sai holes and arranged to be actuated therein, sleeves. attached to said pistons and arranged to be actuated thereby, 5 rings disposed within said sleeves and attached thereto, rods secured to said sprin and arranged to be actuated thereby, w en pistons, guides for said sleeves, a lever system pivoted to said rods -for actuating the brake shoes, and springs disposed within said cylinder for returning the piston heads to their central osition when the air pressure is removed rom the cylinder.

In testimony whe eof I hereunto aflix my signature in the pr nce of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. MEAD.

.Witnesses:

E. S. FRY, W. L. BARRY.

the same are'actuated by said 

